Badger Beer Chase tips and predictions: Blackjack Magic our pick

There are seven meetings scheduled across Britain and Ireland today.

First off is Newcastle (all-weather, 11.45-3.45) before they go over jumps at Gowran Park (11.50-3.37), Kelso (11.55-3.55), Aintree (12.25-3.50), Down Royal (12.35-4.00), Wincanton (12.40-4.10) and finish on the synthetic surface at Chelmsford (5.00-8.30).

Our attentions have focused on previewing the big race of the day from Wincanton – the Class 1 62nd Badger Beer Premier Handicap Chase over 3m 1f.

Badger Beer Chase, Wincanton, Saturday November 11, 2.25pm 

• Ballygrifincottage @ 14/1

Badger Beer Chase tips

• Nap: Blackjack Magic @ 12/1 with Betfred
• Next Best: Certainly Red @ 12/1  with Betfred

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Blackjack Magic can cast his spell

The big betting race from Wincanton this Saturday is the 62nd running of the Badger Beer Premier Handicap Chase, a Class 1 contest over 3m 1f with 21 fences to be negotiated on going likely to be riding soft, and 11 horses have stood their ground.

Anthony Honeyball has entered four horses and the first thing to point out about his contingent is that Rex Dingle (20 per cent), on board BLACKJACK MAGIC, has the best strike rate from his four booked jockeys when riding for the trainer’s yard.

That stat is not the only reason that the eight-year-old gelding is our main each-way suggestion in this field. As the top weight Frodon (12st) is rated at 158, Blackjack Magic is able to run off his correct mark of 132 from a really handy 10st 2lb. He is 3-6 on soft ground, has course form and is a winner racing right-handed over fences at Exeter. 

Admittedly he lacks experience over obstacles, as he is only 2-4 as it stands, but he is thoroughly unexposed. Three of the past 10 winners were from his age group and half the victors since 2013 had nine or fewer runs over fences beforehand. 

Selection: Blackjack Magic @ 12/1 with Betfred

Certainly Red fancied each-way

Another positive factor is that nine winners since 2013 were officially rated 144 or lower, which suggests you can form your each-way study from No 5 on the card downwards. Course-and-distance victor CERTAINLY RED (rated 140) would be the second each-way choice from that group.

Selection: Certainly Red @ 12/1  with Betfred

Frodon can repeat last year’s exploits

Of course, FRODON, the horse that blew that ratings apart last year, is attempting to win back-to-back runnings from the same mark, but perhaps crucially on a contrasting, testing surface. 

The 11-year-old is joined by stablemate Threeunderthrufive from the Paul Nicholls yard. His trainer first won this race with Flaked Oats in 1999 (followed up in 2000) with a total of 11 first. 

The Ditcheat-based Nicholls is simply the king of his local course Wincanton and a win-bet case could be made for both his runners this time around. Frodon is a remarkable horse though, who goes particularly well first-time-up in the season. 

He is 2-12 on soft ground and 4-12 on good to soft, and it makes sense to have effectively a win-saver on him, just in case the ground turns out to be riding slightly better than first feared. He is 17-42 over fences, 2-2 on this course – and adds a welcome touch of class.

Selection: Frodon @ 7/2 with Betfred

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